Soft strikes with PPS-43 -- Looking for a compatible replacement pin

[9mm+]

I took the PPS-43 (technically a pistol by BATFE) to the range today with some new S&B 7.62x25 rounds to break the gun in. About 1 in 5 of the rounds had insufficient striking from the firing pin which didn't ignite the primer. I examined the primers and saw that the pin strikes were quite light and then took the bolt out to examine the pin action.

When the stiker pin is fully depressed, the firing pin doesn't extend enough to consistently ignite these primers (which on most 7.62x25 rounds are pretty hard to begin with). The original PPS-43's were open bolt submachine guns, so the early modified semi BCG's didn't always have sufficient firing pins to light the primers.

I've ordered a parts kit for the PPS-43 which includes a complete BCG and hopefully this later version will have a better FP, but I can't seem to find just the firing pin to replace the original. Does anyone know a compatible firing pin that would fit the PPS-43? Any help would be greatly appreciated...thanks!

 

[9mm+]

Damn, just learned that the BCG in the parts kit is for the original open bolt design, so that's not going to work...

If anyone knows a compatible firing pin (perhaps from an AR), please let me know. Just need one that is a tad bit longer.

 

[9mm+]

Looks like the answer maybe no? I will contact Royal Tiger to see if I can get a replacement pin from them, but please respond to this post or send me a PM if you know of a comparable firing pin from another gun that would fit the PPS-43. Thanks!

 

[kneesus]

Get one machined, but I would check the spring as well as if there's any crud or protrusions keeping the pin from fully extending.

 

[9mm+]

Get one machined, but I would check the spring as well as if there's any crud or protrusions keeping the pin from fully extending.

Thanks, that is the route I'm going to take. I've pulled the FP and checked the springs on both the striker and firing pins, and everything seems very clean and operable. It's just that the FP doesn't extend far enough past the bolt face to consistently ignite these very hard 7.62x25 primers. Machining a new one is probably the only real solution. Apparently, the AR15 DPMS pins are similar to these PPS43 ones, so I've ordered a few and will have a gunsmith machine it to what it needs to be.

Anxious to get the PPS43 back in operation. It's a great shooter (when it fires ), and a helluva lot of fun on the range.

 

[goon]

There is the custom machining route.
Without seeing one, I can't say if this would work, but...

One time my brother's WASR-10 broke the firing pin. No explanation - it just broke during use. My dad found a bolt the right size to fit, took it out to the garage, and made it into an AK firing pin with an old post vise and a file. It worked perfectly until my brother could afford a replacement.

So making a firing pin isn't rocket science - just takes some patience and work. If you've got some tools you could probably use the old one as a pattern and make a new one yourself.

 

[9mm+]

There is the custom machining route.
Without seeing one, I can't say if this would work, but...

One time my brother's WASR-10 broke the firing pin. No explanation - it just broke during use. My dad found a bolt the right size to fit, took it out to the garage, and made it into an AK firing pin with an old post vise and a file. It worked perfectly until my brother could afford a replacement.

So making a firing pin isn't rocket science - just takes some patience and work. If you've got some tools you could probably use the old one as a pattern and make a new one yourself.

Good advice and I will likely just fashion my own from the AR FP's I've ordered. With the Dremel, I will use the original FP (not broken, but just not long enough) as the template. I've done a lot of my own gun mods and repairs, so this is probably as effective and a helluva lot cheaper than taking the pins to a gunsmith. The wait times for gunsmiths in our area ranges from weeks to months for even the simplest stuff. Just not enough of them to go around.

 

[lacajun36]

I know this thread is old but I need some help finding a replacement firing pin for my PPS 43 semi. It's soft firing frequently. I took it apart and every thing looks smooth and intact. the pin appears to not come out far enough to strike the primer. Any assistance from you guys would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[RecoilRob]

If you can't find a replacement pin, anyone worth their salt with a TIG welder should be able to add some material to the end of the pin...then shape with a grinder and go shoot.

You might want to heat-treat the pin afterwards but I'm not sure just what steel they're using and whether or not it would respond to hardening..or if it's even needed. If I were you, I'd just extend the pin and shoot it. If it wears quickly or snaps off..then you're no worse off than you are now and could get a custom pin machined which should fix the problem for good.

Other thing you might check to see what is preventing the pin from protruding as far as it does. Can you relieve the area where it hits to let it go farther forward? Without having one in hand it's hard to tell, but you very well might be able to Dremel a little more extension into the pin and be good to go.

 

[Jim K]

I know nothing of the semi-auto "pistol", but the original gun has a fixed (but replaceable) firing pin that fires the round by advanced primer ignition, like many (most) SMGs of the time. The original system would not be permitted by BATFE so I assume the "pistol" has a hammer or striker system firing from a closed bolt. In other words, the bolt from a SMG won't help as the firing pin is different.

Jim

 

[Wireman]

There hasn't really been any troubleshooting on this problem yet. Examination of unfired rounds is always going to show an insufficient firing pin strike. But when this condition exists, ALL strikes are light. Some of the rounds go off. There are a few things to be checked before assuming that you have a faulty firing pin. I would try to get a spec on firing pin protrusion first. It may be too short, and a longer one might fix it.

I am going to bet that your chamber is worn out. Another way of saying it is that the headspace is too great. In other words, the rounds can move too far away from the breech for the firing pin to reach them. A long firing pin could set off more rounds, but there would still be the issue of unsupported brass. Better to know what your real problem is first.

WM

 

[threefeathers]

I'm glad I stumbled on this thread, I have one of these and 4 boxes of ammo, I need to fire mine.